How to Deal With Self-Doubt When You're Building a Career

Research shows that nearly 3 out of 4 college graduates build their careers outside of their field of study.

That means the majority of working professionals are navigating jobs, industries, and leadership roles that have little to nothing to do with what they spent years studying.

If that's you, you are in very good company.

But knowing you're not alone doesn't always make the self-doubt disappear, especially when you step into a leadership role for the first time. That quiet voice that asks whether you truly belong at the table, or if someone is going to figure out you don't have the "right" background, is something many people experience. Some call it imposter syndrome. Whatever you call it, it is incredibly common among new managers and emerging leaders, and the good news is there are things you can do when it shows up.

1| Notice the feeling before it takes over. Self-doubt has a way of quietly building before you even realize it's there. It tends to creep in during specific moments such as a big meeting, a new responsibility, or in a conversation with someone more experienced than you. When that negative voice starts whispering, take time to pause and remind yourself that it is just a feeling, not a fact. Naming it takes away its power to hold you back or convince you of things that aren't true.

2| Separate feeling underprepared from being underprepared. These are not the same thing. Whenever you start something new or reach a new level in your career, you will almost never feel fully prepared for what's next. In those moments, remind yourself of your track record. What you have accomplished, what problems you have solved, what feedback and recognition you have received. You were hired or promoted because someone saw something in you, and that doesn't disappear just because you feel uncertain about what's ahead.

3| Talk to someone who gets it. You don't need someone to fix it. You just need to hear that what you are feeling is normal and that you can work through it. Imposter syndrome thrives on the assumption that everyone else has it figured out and you're the only one who doesn't. That assumption falls apart the moment you say it out loud and realize you are not alone.

4| Find resources that help fill the gaps. One of the things that feeds self-doubt and imposter syndrome is not knowing what you don't know. When you find practical tools and guidance that give you a framework for the situations you are navigating, the anxiety loses its grip. Everything can be learned and you don't have to figure it out alone or through trial and error.

If any of this resonates with you, Leader Fundamentals was built for exactly this. Follow along for practical, specific guidance designed to help new and emerging leaders move forward with confidence.